The Jeonju Ho Clan's Defiance

The Ho clan of Jeonju * * *

Lately, my little brothers had been acting strange.

"We want to practice with those guns too!"

"Go ahead."

I didn't try to stop them. If they were doing it for my sake on their own, why not? I didn't like the idea of them racking up merits, but accidents could happen during training. They'd back off on their own when that happened. Just seeing how they tried to impress me proved they already saw themselves as beneath me. Even though I was a woman, I was steadily solidifying my position as successor.

Sure, the daughter who had captured Father's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠complete favor. And it wasn't like I lacked anything. I shot arrows well, trained the Byeolcho Army with the iron cannons myself, and even practiced the sword.

In truth, I'd thought about this long and hard. My goal was to change history, and for my own life's sake, the Choi regime had to endure. In that process, anyone who might tarnish the Choi name had to be excluded. The reason I'd looked after my brothers wasn't some genuine sisterly affection—it was a warning not to pull any dogshit in the future.

As I wrestled with these thoughts on my own, I'd reached the conclusion that I could deal with any brothers who might obstruct the Choi regime or my future whenever necessary.

So I didn't stop those two brothers of mine. Whether it was to protect their big sister from her embrace, or whatever real thoughts they harbored.

They'd noticed my change too. Honestly, they might want to call me out on it, but they couldn't. Manjeon was the type who'd jump Choi U's concubine after Father died, so from a young age, I'd drilled into them that women weren't to be touched lightly—some kind of common sense like that.

To them, my transformation must have felt like something out of a novel. And that scared them. If they confronted me directly, I might end up ignoring them like Father did, scorning them as lowly bastards, or tormenting them.

That's why they feared our relationship changing. Even when I openly shut down my emotions toward them, they pretended not to notice. And they tried desperately not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to be discarded.

If things stayed like this, there was no way I'd ever drown my brothers in boiling oil, even by mistake. On the contrary, if they went wild like that and got hurt by gunpowder—ending up with bodies that couldn't even step outside easily—that would be fine too. They'd truly become my brothers then. I'd keep them under my protection, and all they'd have to do was beg for my love.

That said, it was definitely hard for me to treat my brothers like before. They were just tools I'd used and stuffed under my skirts to avoid hassle. I couldn't keep pretending to be the kind big sister forever.

"Will the young masters be able to handle the guns?"

At Kim Jun's question, I paused in thought before answering with a cynical smile.

"If I can handle them, why couldn't those two?"

They could manage at least that much. Honestly, it put my mind at ease if they only learned guns. If they got serious about training, it would be tough for this body to take on two strapping young men.

"The Ho clans have to provide troops too."

"It looks like the Ho clans will send out their armies for now."

"Of course. The regional Byeolcho forces they cooperate to provide are the core of the iron cannon wagon fort formation."

Around this time, Gaegyeong's population exceeded 100,000. More precisely, 100,000 households. During the relocation to Ganghwa, 300,000 had been moved, so assuming up to five per household, that was an enormous number.

Yeah, up to half a million—far more than the populations of later Western European nations that dominated the world or Byzantium's Constantinople.

But even in the capital, steeped in the Choi regime's influence, conscripting 100,000 out of 500,000 was impossible. In the end, we needed the Ho clans' power.

And the military reforms were nearing completion.

"First, incorporate the Byeolcho Army into the Two Armies Six Divisions and merge them completely."

The commander of the Two Armies Six Divisions was Father himself, Choi U. This made the Byeolcho Army take over those duties entirely. Now, both operated under the Choi family's direct chain of command, eliminating any internal divisions between the regular army and the Byeolcho Army in Goryeo's forces. The wild Byeolcho had been born from Father's distrust of the regular army in the first place, so merging them outright was the solution. It was truly the Choi family's army now.

"With trade booming more than ever, more Ho clans are reaching out to get in on it. We can use them to draw out regional Byeolcho and bring them to the capital."

"What about the tax collectors?"

"They're cooperating for now. The southern Ho clans, exhausted from raising water buffalo, have no choice but to cling to us. They're sparing no effort in aiding the inspectors and tax collectors everywhere."

Father stroked his chin beard as he received Park Songbi's report.

There were plenty of Ho clans cooperating with the tax collectors. Whether from the aftermath of Ugaha's subjugation and Hong Bokwon's execution, they were bowing their heads on their own. As long as we didn't demand the emancipation of private slaves, they'd at least cooperate minimally.

"That's not bad."

"But a few major Ho clans are a problem. Especially Jeonju's Ho clan leader, Lee Yang-mu—he seems to be handling taxes meant for the court differently."

Lee Yang-mu of Jeonju's Ho clan. Finally, his name had reached even the Command.

Yes, the father of Iansa, ancestor of Yi Seonggye. The reason I distinguished them was that Iansa would surrender to the Mongols later.

"Lee Yang-mu? What's that supposed to mean? Who is this guy?"

"Decades ago, he was the son of Lee Rin—younger brother of Military Regent Lee Ui-bang—and a great general."

"So what did this bastard say?"

"He declared he'd raise his own army to support us. They say he's hiding a lot from the tax collectors too."

In short, it was a demand not to interfere with their land and military.

Just like always, they'd manage and contribute directly.

"Hmph, so these guys are up to their tricks."

"The Ho clans have acknowledged and cooperated with our rule so far. But suddenly dispatching tax collectors and having inspectors interfere—small clans might not mind, but for someone like Iansa, who holds sway in the Jeonju region, it's understandable."

He wasn't wrong. Minor clans didn't matter much; they couldn't lift their heads before the Choi family anyway. But the big ones could raise theirs a bit.

"Especially after purging Hong Bokwon, it shook the Ho clans. His father betrayed the nation, sure, but Ho clans are like reeds by nature. They know they could be next if things go wrong. So someone like Iansa would try to protect himself."

"Sounds like they've built up enough power for hereditary succession."

Iansa was already in Jeonju at this point. Best to crush him now too.

To do that, it'd be good to convince Father. Hmm, muddle it with the mountain spirit again? No, even if—well, it hadn't happened in this history, but Father believed in fortune-tellers enough. He'd listen to me.

"We can't leave this guy alone."

"Discuss it among yourselves."

"Yes, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Your Excellency."

Only Father and I remained. I drew close to him and carefully opened my mouth.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Father. The mountain spirit says Iansa's descendant will launch a revolution against the throne 170 years from now."

"A revolution against the throne? In a kingdom guarded by us Chois?"

The Choi regime would eventually crumble under Injo, and the military rule weaken rapidly. But the Chois hadn't had the power for a counter-revolution. Sure, they lacked justification and legitimacy in various ways, but Father already wielded more power than the emperor—why bother? That was the situation. Plus, after subjugating Ugaha, public sentiment had stabilized rapidly. More than during the campaign against the Great Liao Water State founded by the Khitans.

With power surpassing the emperor's, why bother?

"Yes. And Iansa himself quarreled with a fortress overseer over a gisaeng, fled to Samcheok to escape him, then moved to Uiju and surrendered to the Mongols' peace offer."

This much was safe to say. We'd received so much help from the mountain spirit already—what was there to fear?

"Have you ever seen such an ingrate who ignores the court's grace?"

Father slammed his fist on the desk in outrage.

There, the stage was set.

"Since they've defied the court's will—equivalent to an imperial edict—dispatch troops to Samcheok and Jeonju to seize Iansa and his father. Then revert their lands to the state. If we don't make an example, nearby Ho clans will rebel against us. There will be followers of Iansa too."

As a major Jeonju Ho clan, he'd have retainers.

"Your words make sense."

I didn't know the details, but was Iansa really upstanding? Ancestor of Joseon's King Taejo—maybe he'd been buried decently enough. But fighting a regional overseer over a gisaeng? That said it all.

No way was the gisaeng some noble cause pulling Iansa into a fusion romance historical drama. She must've been stunningly beautiful, sparking the fight. And Iansa was probably the type who chased women, lavishing gifts on gisaengs.

When the issue blew up and the inspector tried to arrest him, Iansa fled—obvious sleaze. Yet people followed him, so he had some prestige. Bluntly, if the local Ho clan head said he was leaving, his underlings—little more than property—had no choice but to follow.

Villains always had allies, willing or forced.

"Father, I need something."

"Weapons again?"

"Yes, Father. We need to develop matchlocks too. Can't make many, but enough to annoy the Mongols. It's tricky to produce, though—not sure how it'll go."

"What do you need?"

"Terrain and feature intel on likely Mongol invasion routes if they march south."

"I'll have the Northwest Front prepare it."

Father handled everything the moment I mentioned the mountain spirit. Too convenient. How much would he have listened without it?

"Thank you, Father. And when subjugating Lee Yang-mu, I'll go along."

"You?"

"Need to test the fire cannons' performance."

I didn't love going far, but showing direct action would affirm my presence as successor.

Meanwhile, in Jeonju of Jeolla Province, Lee Yang-mu had received what amounted to an ultimatum. Put simply: shut up and cooperate with the tax collectors.

But father and son Lee Yang-mu and Iansa, namesakes of this Jeonju land, hated Do-bang interference. Why should the Do-bang meddle in their rights?

"His Excellency of the Do-bang demands active cooperation with the tax collectors. It's practically an ultimatum."

"What can we do if His Excellency issues one? Kill us?"

"Who knows."

Lee Yang-mu knew strange currents were stirring in the court, even from here. Rumors of new weapons, military reforms, tax collection, private slave emancipation—various tales swirled.

"This region is the land of the Jeonju Lee clan to begin with. Tax collectors would touch our lands and people, but we've merely exercised our rights."

They could've finished faster with local help—why bring in tax collectors?

"Even so, what if the Do-bang dispatches troops?"

"They wouldn't dare. Without us, who in Jeolla Province could they turn to for aid? Urk."

Iansa, drunk in broad daylight, snickered. War this, whatever—those Gaegyeong guardians wouldn't come chasing. Even if they did, how many? Just threats. Even the Do-bang had to accommodate them.

"Hong Bokwon got hit out of nowhere, though."

"Ho clans aren't what they were, but with Mongol war talk, only we can provide private troops."

Lee Yang-mu somewhat agreed with Iansa. They were holding firm—what could be done? Even if troops came, they'd send as few as in the half-hearted Khitan war. Pretend to cooperate while covering their backs.

But this optimism from Lee Yang-mu and Iansa was misplaced. When the overseer and magistrate reported their defiance of the Do-bang's orders to the inspector, it reached Gaegyeong's Do-bang and enraged Choi U.